


Just Us

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Nick-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 05:39:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17401052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Nick only knew it was him because the second Ellie seen him, she had got a wide smile on her face and jumped up to greet him like he had made her day.It made him literally sick to his stomach.





	Just Us

**Author's Note:**

> For the Anon on Tumblr who requested.

Today was a terrible shitty day.

First he was late this morning and didn't have time to buy his normal bagel, then he had to deal with Ellie practically giggling at her phone not even caring about the fact she was texting instead of working, and now the day had turned to complete and utter  _ shit _ .

_ Boyd _ had came walking in escorted by an agent.

Nick only knew it was him because the second Ellie seen him, she had got a wide smile on her face and jumped up to greet him like he had made her day.

It made him literally sick to his stomach.

As Ellie introduced him, Nick noticed how his eyes hardened when shaking his hand. McGee of course right away started being his friendly self only making his stomach twist more.

Gibbs though looked at if he was studying Boyd behind his back, and if Nick learned anything during his time on the team, he could tell Gibbs didn't like what he saw at all.

Well, least he wasn't the only one.

“Gibbs is it okay if I give Boyd a little tour?” Ellie asked. Gibbs only nodded, Ellie didn't even notice the look Gibbs face.

Nick swallowed the sick feeling as they walked off, Boyd's hand on the middle of her back. 

* * *

 

Nick had successfully avoided Boyd, until he was about to leave and Nick suddenly found himself cornered behind the stairs leading to MTAC. 

“Ellie told me a lot about you.” Boyd said, arching an eyebrow. 

“Yeah? So?” Nick clenched his jaw.

“And I want you to stay the hell away from her.” Boyd glared. “At work can't be helped but the second you two are off the clock? Don't even bother sending her a text.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Nick glared right back, wanting so badly to break his nose maybe knock some teeth out, but he knew Ellie would be pissed and he had messed up already where Boyd was concerned. 

“I'm her boyfriend-” Nick tried not to cringe, he hadn't known they had gone from just dates to official. “And I don't like the fact she hangs out so much with a guy who's in love with her, so back the hell off or you'll regret it.” 

“You know this is a lot coming from the guy who's number isn't even saved in her contacts.” Nick snapped, hands shaking in anger.

Boyd only laughed coldly. “Don't mess with me Torres, I'm not someone you wanna cross.”

Nick watched as he walked off. His hands clenched into fists, feeling the crushing desire to punch something. 

For a second as he rushed towards the gym in the building, he considered telling Ellie what Boyd had said..but then he couldn't help but think, would she even believe him? He had already lied to her about the cancelling of her date, showing his jealousy for all to see and he knew she saw it too even though he had chickened out.

Sure they were practically best friends..but Boyd was her boyfriend. The guy who made her smile and laugh at her phone all day, the guy who had the guts to tell her how he felt, the guy who didn't make her wait around to make a move. 

Nick just wanted to  _ scream _ . Jealousy wasn't something he'd really experienced before..and now he was drowning in it.

Seconds after he put on the gloves, Nick took a swing at the punching bag. 

* * *

McGee had pulled him aside the next morning. Nick had ignored all of Ellie's texts last night, hating himself a little more every time.

“I heard what Boyd said to you.” McGee even looked angry. “You can't listen to that guy Nick, and Ellie needs to know exactly who she's dating.”

“I can't tell her!” Nick shouted in a whisper. “She's  _ happy _ , Tim.”

“And how happy will she be when she realizes what a jackass she's dating and she wasn't told?”

Nick shook his head. “Just leave it. After not only Qasim but Reeves dying, she's happy. Sure she was before but not in the same way-”

“Nick..” McGee said softly. “She'd be happier with you, why can't you see that?” 

He smiled sadly. “People like me don't deserve happy endings.”

“People like you?”

“Broken. Ruined. Damaged. Take your pick.”

Nick pushed past him not giving him any chance to respond. 

McGee watched with a sad look as Nick walked away, his usual walk of confidence nowhere to be seen. 

* * *

Nick had gotten lucky the next two weeks. With another team down because of a shared flu, they had got swamped with cases. That meant Ellie didn't have the time to corner him at work, and when work was over she would be either too tired or he figured...busy with Boyd.

It didn't change the fact he still felt like shit. Not only was he getting less sleep then he usually did which started to show, his appetite had dropped, his motivation to go to the gym was nonexistent, and it became a struggle just to get up for work. 

Nick never thought in his life that jealousy and heart ache would get to him like this..he was pathetic, but even that thought didn't change things.

Gibbs had eventually stepped in. 

“If you need some time off Torres, you let me know.”

“I'm fine Gibbs, maybe I'm catching the flu too.” 

Gibbs of course didn't buy it. “We both know that's not it. You can use a break for a week, take one.”

Nick had turned it down.

Or he did until he was walking to his car and spotted Ellie standing with Boyd by what he guessed was his car. 

He clenched his jaw. Boyd had came to pick her up. Nick couldn't bring himself to look away no matter how much it hurt. He was close enough to them that he could faintly hear their conversation.

Nick wished he had just kept walking only two seconds later.

Boyd had his arms wrapped around her, Ellie's arms around his neck. They had just pulled apart after a quick kiss when the words ‘I love you’ reached Nick's ears from Boyd's mouth.

Nick quickly walked away before he could see Ellie's reaction or hear her reply. 

When he got into his jeep, he dialed Gibbs’ number.

“I'm taking that offer.”

* * *

That next day Nick headed out, leaving before anyone could stop by his place or even realize he would be gone.

He didn't bother with his jeep, instead sliding into the car he had rented. 

It was at least a fourteen hour car ride to Miami.

* * *

Not tired after stopping at a motel for a quick nap, Nick pulled up to his first stop. He got out of the car, taking a bouquet of roses with him.

When he got to the right headstone, he placed the roses in front of it.

He kissed the tips of his fingers and pressed them to the stone.

“Been a long time Sofia.” Nick said softly. “Sorry I don't visit more often.”

Nick got down and sat on the grass, resting his arms on his knees. 

“I've actually settled into one place since I last visited-”

* * *

Two hours later Nick was getting out of the car again to his next and only other stop.

Nick walked up to the door and knocked.

It only took seconds for the door to open.

“Nicholas!” 

Nick smiled. “Hi Ma.”

As the smaller older woman pulled him into a hug, he felt his body relax.

“Come in! Come in!”

Delia Torres ushered her son inside, leading him to the kitchen where she made him sit at the table. 

“You look like you need to eat.” She told him with clicking her tongue in disapproval.

“Ma no offense but I don't think a bowl of cereal is going to solve anything.”

She pointed her finger at him. “You haven't visited in almost four years, I've finally learned to cook!”

Nick could feel a little weight lift off his chest as he smirked. “Let me guess, grilled cheese?”

She turned to squint at him. “Too smart for your own good.”

“Ma..I'm sorry I haven't been coming to see you, I know I should have came with Lucia when she brought Amanda for Christmas-”

“No need to dwell on it now my love.” Delia walked by him on her way to the fridge and placed a kiss on his head making him smile.

This week with his mom would do him some good. 

* * *

His phone had became flooded with texts and missed calls from Ellie in the five days he'd been in Miami. At first his mom had asked questions, telling him to answer when in her words the ‘blonde beauty’ called, but Nick couldn't bring himself to answer.

He was afraid. Afraid that she had returned Boyd's ‘I love you’. Him,  _ Nick Torres,  _ had turned into a lovesick mess. 

Nick was tempted to punch himself many times.

* * *

It wasn't hard for Delia to notice her sons down mood no matter how much he tried to hide it. As his mother, she knew it was  _ her _ responsibility to make sure her son was happy.

They never had the closest relationship. When her husband Victor, Nicholas and Lucia's father, had died Delia had been too heartbroken to even see that her kids had lost their dad. Drowning in her pain, she hadn't taken care of her kids. Lucia had taken on the role of mother that she had failed. When she finally pulled herself out of it, Nicholas had become his own person no longer needing her.

She had tried her hardest to make things right, and for the most part she accomplished it. But she didn't see her children much at all.

And now here was a chance to help her Nicholas. 

Delia luckily hadn't mowed her lawn recently, it gave her the perfect chance to sneak a phone call. 

She waited until he was knee deep in mowing before she snuck up to the room he was staying in to grab his phone. As Delia clicked on the contact she wanted, she kept look out the window just in case.

_ “Nick?!” _

Delia couldn't help but smile at how quickly the girl had picked up the phone. 

“Actually, it's Nicholas’ mother.”

Silence met her on the other end, she had no doubt the blonde beauty was shocked. Delia would bet all her savings that Nicholas’ friends knew next to nothing about her, her baby boy had always been a private person.

_ “Nick's..mom? I- oh wow- okay!” _

“I take it my son hasn't talked about me much?” Delia said, hints of amusement in her tone at the stuttering.

_ “I- um not really Mrs. Torres.” _

“Oh dear, call me Delia.”

_ “Okay Mrs. To- Delia, um can I ask why you're calling me? And from Nick's phone?”  _

Delia smiled. “Nicholas has been here for five days, and I can't help but notice how sad my son looks..and I noticed all the calls to his phone.”

_ “It's a long story..but um-” _

“Let me take a guess..my son has feelings for you, you feel the same but started dating after waiting for my hopeless son to do something about it, and now he's here to escape.” 

A shocked laugh sounded from the other end. _“That's..pretty spot on. Um-wow. Well not so much the escaping part..that's all on me.”_

Delia heard the pain in the girls tone. She looked out the window to see Nicholas had paused in his mowing to look at the sky, the same look she imagined was on the face of the blonde beauty. 

Delia found herself saying the words before she could stop herself.

“Come to Miami, work things out.”

_“W-What? Go to..Miami?”_ She practically heard the gulp through the speaker. _“I don't know if Nick would want me there..”_

“I'll pay for your plane ticket.”

_ “Delia! You really don't have to do that!” _

“Listen Ellie..it's Ellie correct? I haven't always been the best mother to my son, for a long time I had neglected him to where Lucia had been more of his mom than I. I'm doing this for him because I want him to have all the happiness he doesn't think he deserves.” 

_“Sounds like you're a pretty great mom to me.”_ Ellie said softly. _“Are you sure? I mean I can pay for the ticket-”_

“No no, you will do no such thing!” 

_ “Delia?..Thank you.” _

Delia smiled, she already liked this girl her son was so smitten about.

* * *

Nick choked on air when he opened the door the next day to find it had been Ellie knocking.

“E-Ellie w-what…”

“Your uh mom called...insisted that I come down here and even paid for my plane ticket..”

“My..mom?”

Nick let out a groan, and after gesturing for her to come inside, took off towards the kitchen.

“Ma! Seriously!”

He heard Ellie shuffle in behind him, and saw his mom glance at her.

“It's my house Nicholas, I can invite who I please.” She shoved by her son, giving Ellie no chance to say anything before she was wrapped in a hug.

“Even more beautiful in person!” Delia said when she pulled away.

Ellie's cheeks flushed pink. “Thank you, Delia.”

“De-..since when are you calling my Ma by her first name!”

“Nicholas! Go bring her bag upstairs.”

Nick opened his mouth and closed it three times before he grumbled and grabbed Ellie's bag. 

When he came back down, his mom was gone and Ellie was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Nick swallowed.

This would be the first actual conversation they'd have in three weeks. Not only that but he couldn't help but wonder if Boyd knew where she was.

But above all, he longed to take her into his arms. He had missed her more than he thought possible. 

“I know, Nick.”

His eyes snapped to hers. “What?”

“I know what Boyd told you.”

“Did McGee tell you?” 

Ellie gave a confused look. “What? No. I heard it from Boyd himself.”

“..Huh?” Nick now had the confused look. Why would Boyd do that?

“He told me he loved me.” She said in a low voice. Nick kept the ‘I know’ from coming out of his mouth by biting the inside of his cheek. “Nick..”

He looked away from her.

Ellie sighed and put a hand on his cheek, making him look at her. Nick gulped. 

“I didn't say it back.” She said softly. 

He couldn't help but close his eyes in relief, seconds later he felt her forehead rest against his. 

“When he told me..it hit me all of a sudden, how could I tell him I loved him back when I already love someone?” 

Nick was about to open his eyes when her lips brushed against his. Just that simple touch sent a fire through his veins. Nick let her words rush over him as he pressed his lips to hers, rougher than he had meant to but Ellie didn't seem to mind as she kissed him back. 

He was the one to pull away first even if he hadn't wanted to. “Ellie..you should probably finish the story.”

She sighed, leaning against him. “Boyd seemed to snap, started ranting about how it was all your fault, and then everything he had said to you just came out. Nick..why didn't you just tell me? I thought I ruined everything between us when you just started ignoring me.”

“It sounds stupid now..but you were happy Ellie, and even if he was an ass to me, how could I ruin it when he made you smile like he did.” 

Ellie smiled at him. “You're sweet, Nick. But if anyone is like that with you..they aren't worth my time.” 

Nick smirked a little. “But uh..there'll be no more Boyd's in the future.”

Ellie laughed. “No..just us.”

He wrapped his arms tight around her. “Just us..I like the sound of that.” 

“So um..you're mom said she wouldn't be back for hours..”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Trying to get me naked already, Ellie? Now that's not very lady like.” 

She whacked his chest. “Pants off, Torres. I've waited long enough.”

Nick threw his head back in laughter.

Not only did he owe his mom big time, but he felt like maybe just maybe, he was someone who had a happy ending.

As long as he had Ellie by his side.


End file.
